This audit reviewed how MoDOT decides which roads
to build when, how it funds the planned projects, and how it uses performance
measurement tools in these decisions. During the audit, MoDOT began designing
new performance measures and released the new performance measurement system in
January 2005. This audit evaluated the performance measurement system in place
prior to 2005; auditors will review the new system at a later date.

Spending on preserving roads

was below national average

Missouri ranked 37th
nationally in how much it spent to preserve and maintain its roads,
spending 53 percent less than the national average, according to a 2004
national study. In addition, MoDOT data showed road conditions did not
improve between 1996 and 2003, and have remained below national averages
since 1998. (See page 5)

Though preserving roads was priority, money did not follow

MoDOT has historically spent more money
expanding roads, than repairing or preserving them. In 2001 planning
documents, MoDOT called for a shift in resources to make road
preservation "top priority." But the dollars did not always follow. For
example, in June 2004, when MoDOT received an extra $137 million in
federal road dollars, only 22 percent went to preservation. Prior to the
passage of Amendment 3, funding for 2006-2009 projects includes 56
percent spent on preservation, which MoDOT projections showed would not
have been enough to achieve road condition goals. With the passage of
Amendment 3, an additional $360 million will be spent on preservation,
however, no assessment has been made of the impact these funds will have
on the highway system as a whole, or the highway system's long-range
needs. (See page 8)

MoDOT performance data not

fully used in funding decisions

Auditors found information given
commissioners to guide their road funding decisions contained little
information regarding measures of past performance. For example,
commissioners received projections of road conditions, but did not see
data showing how road conditions had failed to improve under past
funding levels. Performance reports also did not contain updated data.
For example, a July 2004 road condition report used 2001 data, when 2002
and 2003 data was available. (See page 14)

Expansion projects are not assessed for cost-effectiveness

MoDOT has
not adequately assessed the cost-effectiveness of potential expansion
projects as recommended by federal highway authorities. In addition,
rural district expansion projects have not been evaluated consistently
or compared to other rural district expansion projects on a statewide
basis. (See page 18)